DES MOINES, Iowa – No. 10 Missouri Baptist University volleyball came up short on the road against Grand View University Friday night, falling in four sets (17-25, 24-26, 25-23, 18-25). The Spartans slipped to 13-3 overall and 5-1 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, while the Vikings improved to 15-1, 5-0.
Allana Capella led Missouri Baptist with 18 kills and six digs, while
Gabi Jakubowska finished with 17 kills, nine digs, and three aces.
Fernanda Perini added nine kills on .471 hitting with three block assists, and
Kassie Lee chipped in five kills and five blocks. Setter
Valentina Navarro directed the attack with 45 assists, five digs, and a service ace.
As a team, MBU hit .235 with five service aces, while Grand View countered with a .286 hitting percentage.
Grand View seized control early with an 8-2 opening run in the first set and never trailed, holding MBU to .121 hitting in a 25-17 decision. Missouri Baptist battled back in the second, rallying from an early 10-5 deficit behind kills from Capella and Jakubowska. The Spartans tied the frame at 23-23 after a
Madison Moore kill, but Grand View closed it out 26-24 with back-to-back points.
MBU answered in the third. A service run from Jakubowska that included two aces sparked a 5-0 surge, and late kills from Capella and Perini lifted MBU to a 25-23 victory. Missouri Baptist hit .375 in the set, its best percentage of the night.
Grand View responded in the fourth, using a 6-1 stretch midway through the frame to build a 17-10 advantage. The Vikings closed the match with kills from Jocelyn Barrett and Mariana de Carvalho to seal a 25-18 win.
Missouri Baptist continues Heart play on Saturday, Sept. 20, with an 11 a.m. matchup at William Penn University.
